Match Summary:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 4 wickets in a close encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
- Virat Kohli, with a brilliant 77 (31 balls), laid the foundation for the RCB chase after a dropped catch by Jonny Bairstow in the second over.
- Dinesh Karthik (28*) provided the finishing touches with a crucial six off the first ball of the final over to seal the win for RCB.
- Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan (46) top-scored for PBKS while Mohammed Siraj (2-26) and Glenn Maxwell (2-29) were the pick of the RCB bowlers.
Turning Point:
- The dropped catch by Bairstow off Kohli in the second over proved to be a massive turning point. Kohli capitalized on the reprieve and scored a quickfire fifty, putting RCB in control of the chase.
RCB Batting Highlights:
- Virat Kohli’s 100th T20 fifty (77 off 31 balls) was the cornerstone of the RCB chase.
- Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten 28* provided valuable support in the middle order and finished the match in style with a six off the first ball of the final over.
RCB Bowling Highlights:
- Mohammed Siraj (2-26) and Glenn Maxwell (2-29) picked up two wickets each and kept the PBKS score in check.
- Alzarri Joseph made a good comeback after a poor first over, dismissing Liam Livingstone and conceding only 17 runs in his final three overs.
PBKS Batting Highlights:
- Shikhar Dhawan (46) provided a solid start with his 46 runs at the top of the order.
- Jitesh Sharma (32) and Shashank Singh (21* off 8 balls) played crucial cameos to propel PBKS towards a competitive total.
PBKS Bowling Highlights:
- Harpreet Brar (2-13) and Kagiso Rabada (2-23) picked up two wickets each but were unable to restrict the flow of runs during the RCB chase.
What’s Next:
- RCB will host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home on Friday.
- PBKS will travel to Lucknow for their second away game against Lucknow Super Giants.
